Out in the setting sun rides a nomad, face wrapped in cloth and atop a horse. Journeying across an endless desert with rolling dunes and scattered plateaus. They have been wandering west for weeks in search of something, or someone. The wanderer then spots a worn down sandstone cathedral partially buried in the ocean of sand. They hitch their horse to a post that is surrounded by a broken structure. The wanderer now enters this abandoned place of worship that is now slowly filling with sand and dust. The nomad walks across the main hall where there are cluttered chairs and huge windows with tinted glass fragments clinging to the frame. They remove their face covering, revealing a female visage with golden hair that is tied in a low bun. Kal let out a sigh of relief finally a place to rest. She pulls from her satchel a nutrition bar. The standard of snack of the kingdoms enforcers. She took a couple bites of the bland and rough substance then took a swig from her canteen, washing down the crumbs. Kal then sits on her knees and pulls out a small folded piece of paper from a pocket, unravels it to reveal a large map of the desert. The map issued by her employer was outdated, it counted the cities that succumbed to the endless sand, including the one she was in. So far she was on the right track to locate the target, their last known location was a mile west of here. The person she was looking for was a renowned scientist working on an elixir to extend life. He recently defected, putting his intellect into ‘effectively ending the kingdom’. At least it was what she was told. Her objective was to kill the scientist. Nothing like a wild goose chase for someone threatening the prosperity of a ruler Kal mused. Something in front of Kal hissed, she jerked her head up to see a large sand snake. For a brief moment they were eye to eye, then in a blink the snake lunged. Kal caught the angry creature with a similar serpentine dexterity in one hand. And with the other she produced a dagger and plunged it into its side. The snake gasped out one last hiss and went limp in her hand.  Kal throws the dead snake out a broken window. Once the creature was disposed of, she folds up her map and stores it. She then retrieves her bedroll, lays it out on the sandstone floor and falls asleep.

The sun sets in as the rectangular light from the cathedrals looming windows pour in. Kal opens her eyes and sits up. She exhales and slides out of her sleeping bag. Kal walks outside to see that her horse has collapsed. It had died some time during the night. Kal retrieved her bags full of equipment and weapons. Then goes through the rations to see which ones have spoiled, which was more than half. Damn it fummed Kal, as she gathered her remaining items. She hastily constructed a small sled out of the wooden chairs within the cathedral. She then bound her remaining items to it, ate half a nutrition bar, took a small swig and started pulling. She plodded up and down dunes in a westward direction. Kal slowly and inevitably got exhausted. She then collapsed onto the sand. She reached for the canteen and took a large swig. The sun beat ceaselessly upon her face. Kal slowly got up and took a tug at the sled. But she was overexerted and she collapsed to her knees. Kal then forced her head up to look upon the horizon. She spots figures in the distance moving across the dunes. 

She instinctively lets out a yell, “Hey! Over here!” The front bipedal figure turned his head and started heading towards Kal. She then picks herself up and rushes with a final burst of stamina. She stumbled towards the travellers feet. The traveller brought her up. Kal barely caught a glimpse of camels. “Take my supplies, take my sup--” She faints from exhaustion and heat. Kal’s world is all black.

Kal wakes up with a gasp, the traveler on the end of the bed turns over with a tray with a glass of water, dates, a bread roll, and some steak. The traveller was dressed rather elegantly yet his attire had a roughness about it. They had the face of an eloquent man and shiny black hair. Kal immediately scarfs up the steak, bread roll, the dates and washes it down with the water.  

“Thank you, I owe you my life,” Kal said with sincerity. 

“Pace yourself,” The traveler said, removing the nearly clear tray, “Anyways, what brings you so far out here?”

“I’m looking for someone,” answered Kal

“And found someone you have,” The traveler remarked, “I’m Clementine.”

“Kal,” She looked around the room she was in, she could hear the bustle of life outside, “Where am I?”

“You’re in the town of Paige,” Clementine replied. Elation grew within Kal, she is exactly where she needed to be. Kal got out of the bed and stood up, she wasn’t as fatigued as she thought. She felt as if she had a new and unbroken body. Whatever Clementine did to revive her was surprisingly effective. “I have to go to retrieve something at the marketplace, please make yourself comfortable,” Clementine proposed, exiting the building. Kal wandered about the room and found her supplies neatly placed in one corner. She retrieved some daggers and placed them on her belt. Kal then walks out of her room and heads to the living space. It was a large room with a kitchen with a sandstone island, a shelf, potted cacti, and an open aired window looking out onto a large road. The only thing that confused Kal was a carpet laid exactly in the corner of the room. Curious and nevertheless suspicious, she removed the carpet to reveal a trapdoor. She then retrieves a candle, lights it and descends. 

Kal finds exactly what she expects, a hidden laboratory. On the right end is a workbench with burners, flasks, and contraptions that Kal could not make up. She spots a metal helmet filled with burnt paper and a book in which pages are missing. The book in question was a neat catalogue of recipes. She shifts the pages and finds cures, remedies, and unfathomable poisons. She turns behind, there is a shelf full of labeled jars and vials, placed alphabetically. For a wanted man the scientist is rather neat. At the end of the room is a large locked chest. Curious, Kal steps towards it and retrieves a lockpick from a pocket. She fumbles at the lock, but footsteps now approach. Clementine has returned from his trip to the marketplace and very well saw the open trapdoor. Kal curses under her breath and ceases lockpicking. She swiftly turns around and raises a dagger, as Clementine descends the ladder. Her breathing is measured and controlled. Clementine locks his gaze at hers and raises his hands.

He reluctantly says, “This is the end isn’t it? All of my life's work is wasted with a wave of some hand.”

“I’m sorry it has to be this way,” Kal said simply, “This is nothing personal.”

“Why don’t you see what the king has to say about that, unless you already know,” Kal blinks, dagger still raised, Clementine continues, “You have your chance, why don’t you take it, I’d much rather be dead than the king’s servant.”

Kal hesitates, reminiscing the events that took place before this particular job.

She was standing in the large tower where the scientist resided. It was a rather spacious room. The only things that remained were the large machines draped in a large cloth, gathering cobwebs. In the center was a table the impatient king was standing on one end of it he was explaining her objective with a raw passion. All of the information was stated loudly and without ambiguity. Even the name Clementine had been uttered multiple times. But all while Kal was listening to the disgruntled ruler, she stared at the large portrait ahead, it was Clementine who was dressed in a deep blue robe with embroidered moon and stars. His attire didn’t engage Kal, but it was his solemn face. His expression was filled with longing and disappointment. It seemed he was not pleased with his role in giving more power to the unjust and cruel. The portrait resonated now more than ever. Kal throws the dagger onto the floor, in front of Clementine’s feet.

“You spare me,” Clementine remarks, “Why?”

“Because you gave me a second chance. You’ve had every opportunity to let me die but you chose to let me live, regardless of what I was going to do to you,” Kal explains, “I’m tired of being part of a system that favors the corrupt. It’s time for change. It’s time to cut off the head of that snake once and for all.” 

Clementine nods in sympathy and Kal smiles, knowing that they could finally set the kingdom right against all odds.